Robotic arm with five-bar spherical linkage
First Claim
1. A robotic arm for a minimally invasive surgical system, the robotic arm comprising:
- a parallel five-bar spherical linkage that includesa ground link having a first end and an opposing second end;
a first pair of links pivotally coupled at a first intermediate joint and coupled at a first end of the first pair of links to the first end of the ground link; and
a second pair of links pivotally coupled at a second intermediate joint, coupled at a first end of the second pair of links to the second end of the ground link, and coupled at a second end of the second pair of links to a second end of the first pair of links to form an outboard joint;
the parallel five-bar spherical linkage to spherically rotationally move a robotic surgical tool coupled to the parallel five-bar spherical linkage about a remote center of spherical rotation; and
a constraint coupled to the robotic arm, the constraint to limit the parallel five-bar spherical linkage to only a range of compact poses in which the first intermediate joint is constrained to only a predetermined side of a first plane that includes the remote center, the outboard joint, and the first end of the ground link, and the second intermediate joint is constrained to only the predetermined side of a second plane that includes the remote center, the outboard joint, and the second end of the ground link.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A robotic arm with a parallel spherical five-bar linkage having a ground link, two inboard links, and two outboard links. Each inboard link is coupled to the ground link at an axis of rotation and has an intermediate axis spaced apart from the axis of rotation. Each outboard link is pivotally coupled to one of the inboard links at the intermediate axis. The two outboard links are pivotally coupled together at an outboard axis. A constraint limits the rotation of a first one of the outboard links about the intermediate axis of the coupled inboard link such that a maximum angle between the links is substantially less than 180°. A second one of the outboard links and the coupled inboard link are constructed and assembled such that the two intermediate axes are on the same side of a plane including the outboard axis and one of the axes of rotation.
170 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A robotic arm for a minimally invasive surgical system, the robotic arm comprising:
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a parallel five-bar spherical linkage that includes a ground link having a first end and an opposing second end; a first pair of links pivotally coupled at a first intermediate joint and coupled at a first end of the first pair of links to the first end of the ground link; and a second pair of links pivotally coupled at a second intermediate joint, coupled at a first end of the second pair of links to the second end of the ground link, and coupled at a second end of the second pair of links to a second end of the first pair of links to form an outboard joint; the parallel five-bar spherical linkage to spherically rotationally move a robotic surgical tool coupled to the parallel five-bar spherical linkage about a remote center of spherical rotation; and a constraint coupled to the robotic arm, the constraint to limit the parallel five-bar spherical linkage to only a range of compact poses in which the first intermediate joint is constrained to only a predetermined side of a first plane that includes the remote center, the outboard joint, and the first end of the ground link, and the second intermediate joint is constrained to only the predetermined side of a second plane that includes the remote center, the outboard joint, and the second end of the ground link. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for a robotic arm in a minimally invasive surgical system, the method comprising:
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posing a parallel five-bar spherical linkage into only a compact pose, the parallel five-bar spherical linkage including a ground link having a first end and an opposing second end, a first pair of links pivotally coupled at a first intermediate joint and coupled at a first end of the first pair of links to the first end of the ground link, and a second pair of links pivotally coupled at a second intermediate joint, coupled at a first end of the second pair of links to the second end of the ground link, and coupled at a second end of the second pair of links to a second end of the first pair of links to form an outboard joint, where in a compact pose the first intermediate joint is on a predetermined side of a first plane that includes the remote center, the outboard joint, and the first end of the ground link, and the second intermediate joint is on the predetermined side of a second plane that includes the remote center, the outboard joint, and the second end of the ground link; moving the parallel five-bar spherical linkage with a spherical motion about a remote center of spherical rotation; and constraining the spherical motion of the parallel five-bar spherical linkage within only a range of compact poses. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification